- Date
- May 5, 2005, 08:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Elk River, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N77377Cessna 120
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050505007919A
- Case key
- 61419
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. An inadvertent ground loop was a factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 17. During the landing roll, he failed to maintain directional control and the aircraft ground looped. The propeller as well as the left wing contacted the surface, damaging the wing tip and outboard section of the aileron. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time of the accident. The winds were reported as calm.
Factual narrative
On May 5, 2005, about 0800 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 120, N77377, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, ground looped during the landing roll at Elk River, Idaho. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from Lewiston, Idaho, about one hour prior to the accident.
During a telephone interview, the pilot reported that he was landing on runway 17. During the landing roll, he failed to maintain directional control and the aircraft ground looped. The propeller as well as the left wing contacted the surface, damaging the wing tip and outboard section of the aileron. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported that the weather was clear and the winds were calm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N77377
- Reported as
- Cessna 120
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11818
- Airframe hours
- 5,258
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James R. Kopczynski
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2004 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- LWS · Lewiston, ID
- Destination
- Elk River, ID
- Airport
- Elk River, runway 17, 2,500 × 75 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 335 total · 210 in this make and model · 263 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N77377 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.